À Bolina — Restaurant in Porto

For the most part, the service I’ve experienced at restaurants in Portugal has been subpar, and this place was no exception. However, because I was enticed by the reviews, I stopped by this restaurant for a quick bite. Had I not been feeling quite ill and hungry when I sat down, I would have left.

I cannot believe I’m writing a review about green tea and vegetable soup, but the service was so poor that I thought others should be aware.

When I initially arrived, a server, an older man with white hair in a bun and glasses, was unfriendly to say the least. He barely threw the menu on the table, and after I placed my order, he took over ten minutes to get me a cup of tea, despite passing me many times and serving others drinks. After I finally got my lackluster green tea, I waited (at least) another fifteen minutes for a meager cup of vegetable soup.

Wanting to be done with this place, I asked for the soup to go as they offer “take away.” Of course the rude server said, “we don’t have the container to take away soup.” Why advertise that you offer pick-up services if some items are not eligible for it?

Finally, the tiny bowl of average soup came. Wanting the experience to end quickly, I asked for the bill. After waiting another ten minutes with no sign of the bill, I asked another employee for it, and he said “one minute.” Several minutes later, I asked this same employee again, who was now cutting something behind a counter, for the bill, and he said he wasn’t in charge of it and pointed to my original server. Once again, my server paid me no mind. I walked up and said, “can I have the bill?,” and he just looked at me and didn’t say anything. A minute or so later he printed the bill and I quickly paid it and left.

In sum, the service was awful, the soup was just okay, and the menu was limited. If you want a respectable Portuguese dining experience, I’d suggest you most definitely...

À Bolina is hands down the best and not only Portuguese restaurant we got to know during our travels through Portugal. Of course, there are probably "better" ones but most certainly not within this category – which also means price range – and certainly there are no better waiters, period. We have been there two times and although there might be people who endure more wine which, to be honest, results in being better guests, Pedro and his colleagues were warm and welcoming, knowledgable when it comes to food, wine and port and first and foremost you do not get the ubiquitous impression that it is merely the want of economic success that powers this wonderful small restaurant a couple hundred meters away from the touristy hotspots of Porto. We had a variety of tapas, red wine that was better than it price suggested and both the 10- and 20-years-old Tawny by Quinta de Santa de Eufémia, one of the smaller and perhaps underrated producers of the Douro valley. Combined with tasteful music that one would expect mostly from larger and more expensive restaurants it became a place we will certainly return to one day. Not just for what is written here but also to give the tip I wasn‘t able to leave at the second evening. The postcards on the walls by many, many grateful guests from all countries serve as a well-earned proof of nearly global...

Food, Porto, Beer, Service, and Setting/Ambiance are all absolutely 10/10. I know this place is very well reviewed but I'm surprised it has any reviews that aren't 5 stars. Very reasonably priced for the quality you experience. Almost wish we didn't make this our first stop in Porto, it's going to be difficult to try anywhere else now.

UPDATE: after eating at other great restaurants in Porto (what an amazing city for food) - including a Michelin starred - we agreed that this was our favorite restaurant and we made a reservation at it for our last dinner in the city; it was fantastic again. We tried a number of different tapas to get more exposure to their menu and they were all excellent. Simple beautiful ingredients that are very well executed. We live in Chicago which has wonderful food options, have been very fortunate to travel a lot, and I'd put this restaurant up against any tapas place we've been to anywhere.

You can tell that the owners have been extremely thoughtful about the space, the music, menu, the wine list and the service. The net result is delicious, welcoming, and authentic. If we return to Porto we'll be coming back...